The cast of "Mamma Mia!" during the production's finale at the Royal Theatre

The cast of "Mamma Mia!" during the production's finale at the Royal Theatre

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The 30-feet-tall statue "From Afar" is located on Deck 15. The work of Denver-based artist Lawrence Argent, it is the signature work of a $5.2 million, 2,980-piece art collection on the ship.

The 30-feet-tall statue "From Afar" is located on Deck 15. The work of Denver-based artist Lawrence Argent, it is the signature work of a $5.2 million, 2,980-piece art collection on the ship.

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Artwork on board

Artwork on board

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Two-deck-high Royal Loft Suite is 1,640 square feet.

Two-deck-high Royal Loft Suite is 1,640 square feet.

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The dining area in the Royal Loft Suite

The dining area in the Royal Loft Suite

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View from the bedroom in the Royal Loft Suite

View from the bedroom in the Royal Loft Suite

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Bedroom in the Royal Loft Suite

Bedroom in the Royal Loft Suite

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Huge windows light the living area in the Royal Loft Suite.

Huge windows light the living area in the Royal Loft Suite.

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Bathroom in the Royal Loft Suite

Bathroom in the Royal Loft Suite

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Sky Loft Suite

Sky Loft Suite

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Quantum of the Seas has a space for 4,180 passengers based on double occupancy and 18 decks.

Quantum of the Seas has a space for 4,180 passengers based on double occupancy and 18 decks.

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An aerial view of Quantum of the Seas.

An aerial view of Quantum of the Seas.

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Cruise Diary: Play time on Quantum of the Seas (finally)

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Ed note: The maiden voyage of Royal Caribbean‘s new cruise ship Quantum of the Seas is underway, a transatlantic sailing from Southampton, England, to Cape Liberty, New Jersey. It is the most anticipated ship debut in years. Houston Chronicle food editor and first-time cruiser Greg Morago is on board, and he will be filing dispatches about his experience here throughout the week.

There was a shared bout of cabin fever aboard the inaugural voyage of Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas. Brutal winds and jagged seas for the first several days of the eight-day voyage from Southampton to Bayonne, NJ, kept passengers from enjoying the many outdoor activities aboard the pleasure ship (even some of the indoor activities were put on hold until the sea calmed).

But on Day 4 the sun came out, and the first nice day of the trans-Atlantic passage gave cruisers the chance to play, promenade and strip down to enjoy the outdoor activities and decks.

Joggers logged their daily workouts on the jogging track that circles the entirety of Deck 15. The FlowRider, a surfing simulator on Deck 16, brought out the hot-doggers and boogie boarders. RipCord by iFly, the firs sky-diving simulator at sea, coaxed adventurists who wanted to feel what it was like to fly through the heavens (albeit in a glass tube). SeaPlex, a multi-purposes space for roller skating, basketball and bumper cars (yes, more on that tomorrow) offered circus trapeze lessons Wednesday morning. And the ship’s most unusual attraction, North Star, finally started boarding cruisers for a crazy lift into the sky. North Star is a glass tube that holds about a dozen people, attached to a crane arm that hoists its passengers 300 feet in the air at the tippy top of the ship, offering 360-degree views of the ocean.

By noon, Deck 14’s pools, whirlpools and bars were crowded with cruisers ready to bask in the sun. After three days of churning seas that gave new meaning to the motion of the ocean, the weather finally allowed Quantum to show everything it has to offer.